An Escape, A Meeting, And a Rescue
by RoseSleuth
Summary: Crystal had no memories of herself before age 5. She escapes from the lab that held her captive for so long, and finds new friends in the Teen Titans. But when the lab wants her back, what will Crystal do? Read and review please!


An ear-shattering alarm echoed across the laboratory grounds.

"No! I've been seen!" I ran faster. I had to get away, no matter what. I was fed up, fed up with the tests, the pain, and the lies. Guards surrounded me, and a man in a white coat appeared behind me.

"You!" I screamed. "Stay away from me!"

"Subject 1412 is a priceless research tool! Do not let her escape!" the man yelled. The guards edged closer. I raised my hand, and froze them all in ice. Yeah, I can do that. That was why they had me at that hateful lab; because of my powers. I can fly and manipulate ice. The man let out a curse and rushed me. I jumped into the air and shot like a lightning bolt away from the laboratory grounds. Free. I was finally free.

I don't know how long I'd been flying for, but by the time I'd landed, it was already daylight. My light-blue, almost white outfit seemed to shine in the promising light. My troubles seemed to melt away in this peaceful place. I came to a sign and read it.

_Jump City, huh? _I flicked a strand of my brown hair away without a second thought. I curled up under a tree and was about to take a nap when a roar made me jump.

_Yikes! What was that! _Looking around, I saw this giant, goo-like monster swatting at everything it came to.

_Gross. Maybe I should teach big, bad, and ugly over there some manners. _I started to get up, pumping myself up for an epic battle.

"Teen Titans, go!" I stopped. Who just said that? Before I could even turn around, five teens about my age shot past me. One was dressed in bright colors with a mask that covered his eyes; another was almost completely hidden by a blue cloak. Another had emerald green eyes and could fly; one had green skin, and the last one was half-robot.

_Whoa._

The teens launched themselves at the monster. The one dressed in bright colors threw some kind of disc at it, and the disc exploded when it made contact. The flying girl shot balls of green energy; the cloaked girl shot a black pulse of energy, blowing huge holes in its body. The half-robot teen fired some kind of sonic cannon on his arm, and the green skinned boy morphed into a dinosaur and slashed thick chunks from the monster.

_Cool! These guys…they're just like me!_

The brightly dressed boy turned and noticed me.

"Hey," he said, jogging over. "You should go. It's dangerous here."

"I think I can…watch out!" The monster had regenerated and was raising its hand to squash the boy flat. Before I knew what I was doing, my hand shot out and a ball of ice smacked into the monster. _Hard. _The huge thing fell over with a _splat._ A man lay in the gooey remains, sleeping peacefully.

_Um, OK._

The boy stared at the piles of goo on the ground, then back at me. I smiled sheepishly.

"Guess I don't know my own strength." The boy just kept staring at me. This was starting to get kind of awkward. By now, his friends had come over to where we were standing.

"Yo!" The half-robot exclaimed. "This girl just kicked Plasmus's butt with one attack!"

"She has opened up a much larger can of the butt-whoop than we ever have," the green-eyed girl commented. I was starting to get kind of embarrassed.

"Um, who are you guys?"

"We're the Teen Titans. I'm Robin, the leader," the brightly dressed boy introduced himself. The others introduced themselves as Raven, Starfire, Beast boy, and Cyborg.

"So what's your name?" Raven asked.

"Oh yes! Please do tell us your name!" Starfire chirped. I was silent. How could I tell them that I didn't even know my name? I had no memories of myself before age 5, and I was at the lab since then. The only thing they called me there was Subject 1412. I couldn't help it. I started to cry.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Robin asked me. I could see the concern in his face despite his mask. I broke down and told them the whole story. Starfire gasped, Beast boy and Cyborg were speechless, Raven shook her head, and Robin stiffened with disgust.

"What a bunch of lowlifes," he muttered. Starfire looked at me.

"Then, you do not have a name?" I shook my head. "Unacceptable! We shall think of a name for you!" They started thinking. I leaned against a tree, listening to them toss around a few ideas.

"How about 'Crystal'?" Raven suggested. I straightened instantly.

"I like that name. Thanks Raven," I said. Raven nodded.

"Crystal it is then. But do you have anywhere to go?" Robin asked.

"Don't worry. I'll find somewhere," I assured him. Beast boy chimed into the discussion then.

"Why don't you stay with us? We've got plenty of room," he said. Cyborg, Starfire and Raven nodded in agreement. I looked at Robin, who was smiling.

"Well?" he asked. "How about it? Will you join our team?" I couldn't believe it. These guys liked me? They wanted me to join them? I felt like hugging Robin, I was so happy.

"Yes! Of course I'll join you!" At that, Raven smiled, Cyborg and Beast boy cheered, and Starfire hugged me so hard I thought my spine would snap. Robin's smile widened, and he pressed something into my hand. A communicator!

"Welcome to the team, Crystal." I was thrilled beyond words. It was a new beginning for me.

"Hey, where's Robin?" It was a month after I had joined the Titans, and we were sitting in Titans Tower after fighting Plasmus. _Again. _But Robin was nowhere to be seen.

"He's not responding on his communicator," Cyborg said. "Something's not right." All of a sudden, the alarm went off. Cyborg dashed to the monitor.

"We're getting a transmission!" The monitor beeped, and a man's face showed up on the screen. A face I knew, and never wanted to see again.

"Greetings Titans," he said. "My Subject 1412, I'd like her back."

"You!" I screamed. "Why can't you just leave me alone!" He noticed me then.

"Ah, greetings, Subject 1412."

"My name is Crystal!" I shrieked. I was so close to smashing the monitor. Cyborg, Beast boy, Raven, and Starfire looked at the screen with disgust.

"Crystal's never coming back to your lab, so get off our monitor," Raven spat.

"How about a trade? If you return Subject 1412 to me, I will return your friend Robin." The man moved aside to reveal Robin, in handcuffs. He looked furious.

"Think about it." The man's face disappeared from the screen. I stood up.

"I'm going. I'll get Robin back." Cyborg put his hand on my shoulder.

"You're not going alone."

"Yes. We shall join you." Starfire chimed in. I looked at them all for a long time.

"The lab is to the west of here."

"Dude," Beast boy shuddered. "This place is eight kinds of creepy." He looked at me. "No wonder you ran away from here."

"I'll go in first." I slowly made my way forward.

"Ah, welcome back, Subject 1412." I froze. I should've known he'd be there. But the others weren't so intimidated. They rushed him.

"We'll take care of this guy!" Raven shouted at me. "Go find Robin!" I took off running down the hall. I knew the lab inside and out. It was really easy to find Robin.

"Crystal!" Robin exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" I dropped beside him.

"You really think I would just leave you here!" I exclaimed as I picked the cuffs. "Come on, let's go."

"How will we get out?"

"I know this place inside and out. The others are by the entrance." We took off. The others were standing all around the man in the white coat, who looked utterly defeated.

'I don't understand," he muttered. "This had nothing to do with you five. Why did you fight so hard to protect Subject 1412?" Robin seized hold of the man's collar.

"First of all," he growled, "her name is Crystal."

"And second," Cyborg added, "she's our friend. We don't take kindly to people who mess with our friends."

"Yeah!" Beast boy said vehemently. "What affects Crystal, affects all of us!"

"Agreed! We are a family!" Starfire chimed in.

"With a very strange tree," Raven added. I tossed my head and stared scornfully down at the man.

"You don't have any hold over me. I'm not afraid of you anymore!" At that, I raised my hand and froze him in ice. _That should hold him for the authorities, _I thought smugly. I turned and smiled at my friends.

"Come on, guys. Let's go home."


End file.
